PUBLIC LAW 100-656—NOV. 15, 1988 102 STAT. 3879

"(F) Proceedings conducted pursuant to the authority of this
paragraph shall be completed and a decision rendered, insofar as
practicable, within ninety days after a petition for a hearing is filed
with the adjudicating office.".

SEC. 410. EMPLOYEE TRAINING AND EVALUATION. 15 USC 636 note.

(a) TRAINING REQUIREMENTS FOR BUSINESS SPECIALISTS.—(1) In
each Small Business Administration field office responsible for
assisting one or more Program Participants there shall be a position
designated as a Business Opportunity Specialist. To the maximum
extent practicable the Administration shall assure that an adequate
number of Business Opportunity Specialists are assigned to each
district office to carry out the responsibilities of sections 7(j) and 8(a)
of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 636(j), 637(a)) and to assist
Program Participants.

(2) The Administration shall take such actions as may be appro-
priate to ensure that any person employed as a Business Oppor-
tunity Specialist receives adequate periodic training to assure such
employee is capable of assisting Program Participants to fully utilize
the Program and to meet the requirements of the Small Business
Act, as amended by this Act.

(b) PILOT PROGRAM.—(1) Within 180 days after the effective date of
this subsection the Administrator shall designate three regions of
the Administration to conduct a pilot program pursuant to the
provisions of this subsection. The designated regions shall contain
approximately 30 per centum of the total number of Program
Participants as of the time of designation.

(2) A Business Opportunity Specialist employed in a Region des-
ignated pursuant to paragraph (1), in addition to other assigned
duties and responsibilities, shall—

(A) conduct contract negotiations on behalf of the Administra-
tion for contracts awarded pursuant to section 8(a) of the Small
Business Act (15 U.S.C. 637(a)) when performance will be ren-
dered by one or more firms in such Specialist's assigned
portfolio;

(B) facilitate and otherwise assist such firms in negotiating
for the receipt of contracts to be let pursuant to such section.

(3) The Administration shall take such actions as may be appro-
priate to train and qualify such Specialists to perform the negotia-
tions required pursuant to paragraph (2).

(4) To the extent practicable, the Administrator shall ensure that
the performance appraisal system applicable to a Business Oppor-
tunity Specialist employed in a region designated pursuant to
paragraph (1) affords substantial recognition to how well such
Specialist's assigned portfolio of concerns participating in the pro-
gram established by section 7(j)(10) of the Small Business Act (15
U.S.C. 636(j)(10)) are achieving competitiveness and furthering the
business development purposes of the program.

(5) The Administration shall establish personnel positions for
Business Opportunity Specialists employed in the regions des-
ignated pursuant to paragraph (1) that are classified at a grade level
of the General Schedule that are sufficient, in the opinion of the
Administrator, to attract and retain highly qualified personnel.

(c) REPORT AND PILOT PROGRAM TERMINATION.—(1) Within 120
days after the termination of the pilot program conducted pursuant
to subsection (b), the Administration shall issue a report to the
Committees on Small Business of the Senate and of the House of